cl audio upgrade
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
cl audio upgrade
Here are some update photos of my recent project.....a darn long one. I will finally finish tomorrow and post the final pics. So here is a nice little writeup for someone who wishes to do the same. I will attempt to pass on what I learned since a great deal of research was necessary to choose the correct components.
Sub... What do you want to do? If you don't mind giving up some space back there you can always put em in a box. I however wanted to utilize the stock location and save space in my trunk, so I purchased the baddest sub I could find which worked well in infinite baffle setup, or free air. It is the Image Dynamics IDMAX10" http://www.imagedynamicsusa.com/prod...idmax&type=sub
With a dual 2ohm voice coil I will bridge to 1ohm load and run 1200watts to it via a MB Quart pab1200.1D http://www.mbquart.com/en/produkte/c...nr=pab_1200.1d
After I tore into the rear I discovered a 12" speaker would also work the same way I mounted my 10" so on my next CL I will install a 12" sub.
When keeping head unit a line output converter must be used and the factory amps must also remain in place since the signal from the head unit is a fiber optic signal. The AudioControl LC8 is what I purchased, however many of the audiocontrol products will work. http://www.mobileaudiocontrol.com/pr...2&l1=17612&l2=
Components in the front are 6 1/4" and I wanted reference grade audio. After reading about allot of speakers it came down to Diamond Audio HEX components, although the Image Dynamics chamelions almost were purchased...
http://www.diamondaudio.com/content/view/97/112/
To power these at their full potential I have a MB Quart pab4100 which will deliver a full 200watts to both the right and left channel
On the sight it does not say anything about bridging to two channels, but the amp can be bridged and the owners manuel shows how to do it...
http://www.mbquart.com/en/produkte/c...hp?nr=pab_4100
I removed the wimpy rear door speakers and instead decided to use this location for my crossovers.
Here are some photos.....
This is not my car, but I like the install.... wimpy speaker though and wimpy amps too. Compare my magnet to this one.
Had to make speaker rings to use the stock door speaker pods
Compare stock bose to my new diamonds
Here is the door ready to be put back together. I used 10ga wite and had to run 3 lines per side to the trunk. 2 were for the stock wires to go to the LC8 and 1 was for power to come back.
Dremmel the component
I will cover this with black leather behind the speaker to match my interior
For the rear a mounting plate must be made to seal rear deck holes and also hold up this 50 pound sub...
Template
Plate mounts to car and sub mounts underneath using bolts that connect via tee nuts in plate
Mounted an AB foamed to seal
Sub mounted
I am now here... ready to make the amp rack and hook it all up.
There are two holes on each side, threaded, which I will use to bolt the amp rack to. If you are doing your CL, use these.
More to come...
Sub... What do you want to do? If you don't mind giving up some space back there you can always put em in a box. I however wanted to utilize the stock location and save space in my trunk, so I purchased the baddest sub I could find which worked well in infinite baffle setup, or free air. It is the Image Dynamics IDMAX10" http://www.imagedynamicsusa.com/prod...idmax&type=sub
With a dual 2ohm voice coil I will bridge to 1ohm load and run 1200watts to it via a MB Quart pab1200.1D http://www.mbquart.com/en/produkte/c...nr=pab_1200.1d
After I tore into the rear I discovered a 12" speaker would also work the same way I mounted my 10" so on my next CL I will install a 12" sub.
When keeping head unit a line output converter must be used and the factory amps must also remain in place since the signal from the head unit is a fiber optic signal. The AudioControl LC8 is what I purchased, however many of the audiocontrol products will work. http://www.mobileaudiocontrol.com/pr...2&l1=17612&l2=
Components in the front are 6 1/4" and I wanted reference grade audio. After reading about allot of speakers it came down to Diamond Audio HEX components, although the Image Dynamics chamelions almost were purchased...
http://www.diamondaudio.com/content/view/97/112/
To power these at their full potential I have a MB Quart pab4100 which will deliver a full 200watts to both the right and left channel
On the sight it does not say anything about bridging to two channels, but the amp can be bridged and the owners manuel shows how to do it...
http://www.mbquart.com/en/produkte/c...hp?nr=pab_4100
I removed the wimpy rear door speakers and instead decided to use this location for my crossovers.
Here are some photos.....
This is not my car, but I like the install.... wimpy speaker though and wimpy amps too. Compare my magnet to this one.
Had to make speaker rings to use the stock door speaker pods
Compare stock bose to my new diamonds
Here is the door ready to be put back together. I used 10ga wite and had to run 3 lines per side to the trunk. 2 were for the stock wires to go to the LC8 and 1 was for power to come back.
Dremmel the component
I will cover this with black leather behind the speaker to match my interior
For the rear a mounting plate must be made to seal rear deck holes and also hold up this 50 pound sub...
Template
Plate mounts to car and sub mounts underneath using bolts that connect via tee nuts in plate
Mounted an AB foamed to seal
Sub mounted
I am now here... ready to make the amp rack and hook it all up.
There are two holes on each side, threaded, which I will use to bolt the amp rack to. If you are doing your CL, use these.
More to come...
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Home connectors were scavenged from the garage before final trip to the depot. Looks fine to me... amps will be barely visible after mounted. And if you own a CL you know the bass is seriously lacking... unless you like the bose acoustacrap sub... it is a joke a full volume with Drum and Bass. As for the components... look em up. Many many people prefer them to top of the line MB Quart Q series. I may put a beauty ring on the sub like the top picture, but looking into the trunk you would barely see it.
Last edited by onelightmind; 02-04-2008 at 01:41 PM.
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#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Suede covered amp rack, no loss of trunk space. !!!!Amazing sound!!! Perfectly tuned with a RTA. You can't possibly imagine what 200watts RMS per component sounds like in there with 1200watts RMS on the sub. Well, some of you can. Any Questions? By the way, my girlfriend won't even drive a c class let alone a clk...
Last edited by onelightmind; 02-21-2008 at 09:09 PM.
#10
MBWorld Fanatic!
Your first pics scared the crap out of people. The finished project doesn't look bad. I am a MB Quart FREAK (my competition system was ALL MB Quart) so I love the amps (wish you would have used some Q series). PLEASE tell me you replaced those electrical connectors from the early pics
#11
Here are some update photos of my recent Sub... What do you want to do? If you don't mind giving up some space back there you can always put em in a box. I however wanted to utilize the stock location and save space in my trunk, so I purchased the baddest sub I could find which worked well in infinite baffle setup, or free air. It is the Image Dynamics IDMAX10" http://www.imagedynamicsusa.com/prod...idmax&type=sub
With a dual 2ohm voice coil I will bridge to 1ohm load and run 1200watts to it via a MB Quart pab1200.1D http://www.mbquart.com/en/produkte/c...nr=pab_1200.1d
After I tore into the rear I discovered a 12" speaker would also work the same way I mounted my 10" so on my next CL I will install a 12" sub.
When keeping head unit a line output converter must be used and the factory amps must also remain in place since the signal from the head unit is a fiber optic signal. The AudioControl LC8 is what I purchased, however many of the audiocontrol products will work. http://www.mobileaudiocontrol.com/pr...2&l1=17612&l2=
..
With a dual 2ohm voice coil I will bridge to 1ohm load and run 1200watts to it via a MB Quart pab1200.1D http://www.mbquart.com/en/produkte/c...nr=pab_1200.1d
After I tore into the rear I discovered a 12" speaker would also work the same way I mounted my 10" so on my next CL I will install a 12" sub.
When keeping head unit a line output converter must be used and the factory amps must also remain in place since the signal from the head unit is a fiber optic signal. The AudioControl LC8 is what I purchased, however many of the audiocontrol products will work. http://www.mobileaudiocontrol.com/pr...2&l1=17612&l2=
..
All I want to do with my cl500 is add a bit more bass... whats the cheapest way to do it and keep the stock screen headunit? Do I have to use an expensive converter or are there cheapies?
#12
EDITED: ITS CALLED JL CLEANSWEEP
Last edited by c32used; 03-30-2008 at 02:31 AM.
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
all parts of a prodject... scary looking for sure, but had to be done. I did cover the components with matching leather and they look good. Sounds excelllent. Sub hits so hard it loosened my trunk.... yes I the home connectors were changed to solder and elec tape. The A/B foam was a damn mess... be careful if you use it... actually it shouldn't be used, find a stuffing maybe foam... fun project...too damn long though...speakers scream. More bass than the q series and warmer tweets... allot less too. Got em for $225 for the pair instead of a msrp of ~$800... very happy. I do however miss the rear/side fill audio at lower volume levels, so I may add another amp and move the crossovers to replace the rear door speakers. Music never sounded better a full volume... the speakers hum with 200 watts RMS each although 1200watts to the sub is too much as I fried the first basket.... more cone control in a box, but if you do a box get a less expensive speaker... if not make sure the sub you get is infinite baffle or free air..... Image Dynamics all day long... oh and a 12 can be made to fit......READ READ READ